Harvester



7 Shet's-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

c. MILLER.

HARVESTER. v

.Pratented May 31, 1887.

- v IWI/EN '0R WITJVE'SSES Y" 7. Sheets-Sheet 2. C. MILLER.

- HARESTBR.

(No Model.)

Patented' Maly 31, 1887.'.

WITNESSES j VC' Mmm 7 Sheetswsheetv 3. C. MILLER.

HARVESTER.

P atentedMay 3'1, 1'887.

(No Model.)

-7 Sheets-Sheet 4. C. MILLER.

HARVESTER. Y

v Patented Mayl, 1887-.

(No Model.)

.dttorneyJ M M o I I (NoMoael'.) 7'sheets'shee1; '5. o. MILLER.. HARVESTER. No. 36V 4, 12'7. Patente May 31, 1887.

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O I il e@ ff' e N. PETERS. Plwvlithwgnpnr, walhingion, D. C,

(No Model.) g 7 sheets-sheet 6.

HARVESTER.

Patent d Ma 31, 1887.n

WITJVESSES N. PETERS Plwlwuthngmpmr. Wuhg'ngmv. D. C.

7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)

HARVESTER.

Patented May31L'l887.

WITNESSES f f r UNITED STATES PATENT Fries. A.

' CHARLES MILLER, AUBURN, NEWv YORK.

HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming peut of Letters Patent No. 364,127, dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed March 13. lSSG. Serial No.195.075. (No model.)

' which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the aceompan ying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved 'low-down binder harvester. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken' through the binder-platform. Fig. 2 is a similar view, looking in the opposite direction. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken through the main,driving-shaft, looking toward the rear o f the machine. Fig. 4 is a top plan view. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are detail views of different parts of the machine.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. l'

This invention relates to self-binding harvesters, and more particularly toy that class known as flow-down binders. lts object is to produce such a machine as will be prompt and efficient in all its operations, com plete in itself, and entirely under the control of the operator.

With these ends in view, it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 represents the grain-platform of a harvester provided with the usual cutting apparatus,

driving mechanism, rake, and supporting' wheels, and to one side of which myimproved binding platform and mechanism are secured. This bindingplatforrn consists of 'a suitable frame, 2, the under side of which is provided with brace-rods 3 and blocks 4. To the front part of the platform a casting, 5, is secured, having bearings for the horizontal shaft l6 and for the short verticall shaft 7. At the outer end of the shaft 6 a small sprocketwheel, S, is secured7 which is driven by a chain, 9, passing around the larger sprocketwheel, 10, which is vsecured to the drivewheel 11. Near the center of the shaft 6 a clutch, 12, is secured, which engages with another clutch upon the side of the bevel-pinion 13, which is locselyjcurnaled upon the shaft. The inner end of theshaft is provided with an annular groove or channel, in which a spring, 14, engages when the binding mechanism is in operation, but whichis thrown ont of it by the carrier when it returns to its posi tion after a sheaf has been bound. To the inner bearing, 15, of the shaft, which islarger than theother bearings, and which is also provided with bearings for the shaft 7, an arm, 16, is secured, and to the end of which arm a lever, 17,- is pivoted. A rod, 18, is secured to the lower end of the lever 17 and extends to the opposite side of the platform,r

coiled spring, 20, is secured between the extreme outer end of the rod 18 and the yend of the 'lever 19. The intermediate part of the lever 19 engages with a grooved collar, 2l, which is rigidly secured upon the shaft 6. A coiled spring, 22, bears against this collar and also against a ring, 23, which is adj ustably secured to one of the bearingsof the shaft 6 by means o'f a slotted arm, 2l, the shaft passing through the ring and spring. It will now be seen that when the top of the lever 17 is forced in a ,direction toward the shaft 6, which is done by the rake when it delivers a gavel of grain to the binding mechanism, the shaft is slipped longitudinally in its bearings until the clutch 12 engages with the clutch upon the side of the pinion. 13, which engages with the pinion upon the end of shaft 7 and sets the binding mechanism in motion. The spring let then engages with the groove in the end of the shaft and keeps it from slipping back until the sheaf has been bound. v Y v The rear portion of the platform is provided with two brackets, 26 and 27, the tops of which are secured together by means of the beam 28, and they alsofnrnish bearings for theknotter-shaft29. Theknotter-shaftissupplied with any of the well-known knotters now in use, and which it is not necessary to illustrate, as I make no claim to that part of the binding mechanism. Two shafts, 30 and intermeshing cogged segments 32 and 33, are

' suitably journaled across the rear portion of the binding-platform. One of these shafts is provided at its intermediate portion with a compressorarm, 34, and the other shaft with two curved compressorarms, 35 and 36, one of which is the needle and carries the thread around the sheaf. Each of these curved arms is provided upon its under side with the rounded projection 36', which engages with the carrier as it advances with a gavel and assists the raising of the arms to a vertical position to retain the sheaf in place while being bound.

An auxiliary compressor,37, having a groove across its top, or two short parallel pieces, 38, instead, is moved vertically between the shafts 30 and 31 by means of a lever, 39, which is pivoted to the under side of the platform at 40. The opposite end of this lever is connected by the rod 41 to the end of the lever 42, which is pivoted to the top of the bracket 26 and provided with a lug, 43. A cam, 44, secured upon the knottershaft, bears against this lug and operates the lever and with it the auxiliary compressor.

One of the cogged segments, 32, is firmly secured upon its shaft 30, while the other one fits loosely upon its shaft and is provided with two arms, 45 and 46, which arms are provided with the pins 47 and 48, respectively. The segment 33 is kept upon its shaft by means of the collar 49, which'isrmly secured upon the end of the shaft and is provided with lan arm, 50, which is connected to the arm 46 of the segment 33 by means of the hooked rods 51 and 52 and the coiled spring 53. The outer ends of each of these'rods are provided. with a thumb-nut, and the hooks upon the inner ends are bent in opposite directions, so that they engage with the opposite ends of the springs, and when the ends of the arms are forced apart the rods are drawn in opposite directions and the spring between thein is compressed. As soon asthe force is removed t-he spring expands and draws the rods and the arms into their normal position again. Secured upon the outer end of the knetter-shaft isan irregular-shaped cam, 54, which engages with the pins 47 and 48 and communicates motion to the shafts 30 and 31 and the compressors upon them through the segments 32 and 33. One half of the cam 54 keeps the compressors together while the sheaf is being bound by pressing against the pin 47 and holding it down while the arm 45 is' in a forward position, and t-he other half of it keeps them apart after the sheaf has been bound by pressing against the same pin while the arm is in aV rearward position, a loop-shaped curve at themiddle ofthe cam operating upon the pin 4 8 to turn its arm and the arm 45 in a rearward position.

Sliding back and forth along the slots 56 and 56 in the platform is a carrier, which consists of two upright bearing-plates, 57 and 58, se-

cured to guide-pieccs 59 and 60, which are secured together above the'platform by means of the cross-piece 61, and below it by the crosspiece 62. Secured to the cross-piece 61 is an arm or tripper, 63, a spring, 161, having a hook at its end, and two upwardly-extending arms, 64 and65. The ends of the arms 64 and 65 are provided with bearings for the guiderods 66 and 67 of the two upright slightlycurved bunchers or packers 68 and 69. Each of these guide-rods is provided with a coiled spring, 70, which forces the packers (and the grain in front of them) a short distance ahead of the carrier as it moves across the platform, so that the points of the curved arms 35 and 36 can come up between the carrier and the grain. Secured to the tops of the arms 64 and 65, above the bearings for the guide-rods, are the brackets 71 and 72, to the ends of which are pivoted thel levers 73 and 74, thelower ends of which levers are connected to the packers 68 and 69 by the links 75 and 76.

Secured to the bearings of the shaft 6 is the bench-shaped support 77, upon the top of which are firmly secured the front ends of two parallel beams, 78 and 79, the rear ends of which are secured to the curved and slotted metallic plate 80, which in turn is secured to the beam 28. Near the front ends of these beams is secured the irregular-shaped crosspiece 81, the ends of which engage with the tops of the levers 73 and 74 as the carrier is drawn back after delivering a gave] of grain to the binder; This causes the packers 68 and 69 to be drawn back as near to the carrier as possible, to permit the next gavel of grain to be placed in position without becoming entangled with them. As soon, however, as the carrier starts toward the binder with the gavcl the pressure of the cross-piece 8l against the tops of the levers 73 and 74 is removed, and the springs 70 force the packers ahead of the carrier, as described above. The top of'a lever,

82, pivoted to the bench 77, engages with the Y hooked spring 161 of the carrier and keeps it from gradually "working toward the knetter until it is released by the movement of the clutch 12, which engages with the lower end of the lever when itis moved over by the shaft6 to put the binding mechanism in motion.

Secured to one ofthe beams at the same place as'the crossfpicce 81 is the short upright 83, having a spindle or wrist-pin at its top, upon which swings the A-shaped level` 84. One end of a long connectingrod, 85, is pivotally connected to the center ofthe Alever,and its other end is connected with an arm of a bell-crank lever, 86, which is securcdto the middle ofthe beam 28. Bolted to the other arm of the lever 86 is a fiat curved arm, 87, the end of which is forked and passes through a slotted guidepiece, 88, one ond of which is secured to the ends of the beams 78 and 79,and the other end is journaled upon the knottershaft. The

forked end of the arm 87 is kept in an elevated position by means of a coiled spring, 89, which is secured to the A-lever and to a pin uponthe end of one of the beams; but when the earrier returns to the forward part of the platform, after a sheaf has been bound, one ofthe pulley, 91, having a perforation diametrically through it, and having a cogged pinion, 92, at its side, and journaled in a bearing in the bracket 93. This pinion and pulley are operf erated by the eogged rack 94 at'the end of the eccentric-rod 95, which in turn is operated by the cam 96 upon the knotter-shaft.l The rear end ofthe rack 94 has areduced portion,which slides through a perforated ear, 98, of the plate 99, and its intermediate portion slides within the lips 100 upon the sides of the plate, said plate being rigidly secured to the rod 95. A coiled spring, 101, around the reduced portion keeps the rack forced as far forward as possible relative to rod 95. The rear end of the eccentric-rod 95 is forked, and slides back and forth upon the knotter-shaft, and is provided with a lug, 102, against which the cam 96 operates. The binding cord passes from the spool inthe front part of the machine,through the hole in the pulley, down through a holein the platform, back to the rear portion of the platform, through an eye, 103, and through the perforations in the needle up to its point and from there to the holder, where it is secured. As the point of the needle begins to rise, the cam 96 begins to operate the pulley 91, which winds up the slack caused by small gavels of grain. lf, however, the gavel be full-sized there will be no slack, and the strength of the cord will prevent the pulley 91 from being turned, which in turn will hold the rack 94 stationary, and vthe movement of the bar 95 will be taken up by the compression of the spring 101.

Pivoted to the under side of the platform, with one of its ends projecting over the slot 55, is a lever, 104, the other end of which is connected to a rod, 105, which in turn connects with an arm, 106, which is loosely journaled upon the shaft 30, between the shouldered eollars 107 and 108. The arm 106 is provided with the lugs 109 and 110, which engage with the shoulders upon the collars-107 and 108, so

that as the carrier moves back toward the A drive-chain, 112, runs over the sprocketwheels 113 and 114 upon the under side of the platform and conveys motion through a pinion secured to 114 to a large wheel, 116, which is journaled in bearings at the rear of the platform. A short slotted arm, 117, has one end pivotally secured-tothe chain 112 by means of a lu g, 118, which is rigidly secured thereto, and the other end to the cross-piece 62 by means of a nutted bolt, 119, passing. through a slot, 120, in the cross-piece and through the slot in the arm 117. By this arrangement the arm 117 can pass between the crosspiece and the sp rocketwheels, and at the same time give apositive motion to the carrier in either direction. j

Firmly secured to the large wheel 116 is a small sheave-wheel, 121, which conveys motion to the binding mechanism through the chain 122, and another wheel, 123, secured upon the end of theknotter-shaft. The chain 122 passes over friction-pulleys at the side of the platform.

A Secured in bearings upon the .upper side of the plate .80 is a bolt, 124, one end of which is beveled and projects over the slot 125 in thc plate andthe other end is secured to the lever 126. One end of this lever is pivoted to the end of one of the beams and the other end is operated by the cam 127, secured upon the knotter-shaft. As the needle rises to-bind a sheaf, it passes through the slot 125`and engages with the beveled portion of the bolt and pushes it back out of its way. A spring, 128, pushes the bolt outaeross the slot behind the needle as soon as it passes, and keeps it from being pushed back as the sheaf is being compressed and bound, thustaking the strain off the operating mechanism. As soon as the sheaf is bound, andthe needle ready to assume its horizontal position, the cani 127 operates against the end of the lever 128 and draws the bolt back, and keeps it back until just before the next sheaf is bound, thus preventing it from interfering with the movement 'of the curved arm 87. After the sheaf has been bound itis thrown from the platform by two ejector-arms, 129, which are secured to the knotter-shaft. Y

Pivoted tothe rear of the platform and kept in a vertical position by the coiled spring 130 is a board,131, which is even with the rim around the platform, and against which the grain'bears as it is being brought around by the rake and kept from becoming entangled. with the cord and layer. After the sheat' is bound this board isswung down by the sheaf, which is pushedoff over it bythe ejector-arm. As soon as the pressure is removed the board is brought into a vertical position by the coiled spring 130, where it remains until it is again pressed down by the bound shea'f. Near the forward part of the platform an adjusting-- board, 162, is pivotally secured by means of the bracket y153, and adjusted in the desired position by means of apin upon its underside fitting in the series of holes 134 in the platform.

Secured to one of the brackets 26 is ashield,

135, which prevents the grain from becoming entangled'in the cogged segments and the operating-chain.` A flexible shield, 136, is secured in a vertical position between the rakestand and the sickle-bar, which is bent around the stand by the rake as it sweeps the platform, and which compresses the gavel of grain and also keeps it from becomingr entangled in the carrier. Two inclined metal plates, 137 and 138, aresccured to the platform alongside of the slots 55 and 56, which cause the grain to pass over the slots and the points of the curved arms 35 and 36 without catching upon them.

Pivotally secured to the beam 2S, at the rea of theplatform, is a bundle-carrier, consisting of a shaft, 139, jonrnaled in bearings at its ends, and provided at suitable distances with curved arms 140, the lower ends of which rest upon the step-like projection 141 when the carrier is receiving its load. These arms can be strengthened or braced by means of across rod or wire, 142. The rod or shaft 139 is further provided with a short arm, 143, to the end of which is connected the end of a rod, 144, which extends to the front of the machine and is secured tothe lever 145, which is pivoted -to the angle-iron 146 at its lower end, while its upper end can be operated by the driver and the bundles dropped as desired. This angle-iron 146 is provided with a slot, 147,- at its end, by which the platform can be raised or lowered, as required.

Surrounding the grain -platform is a wide board or rim, 14S, near the middle of which is secured a post, 14,9, which has a bearing at its top for one end of the swinging presserboard 150. The other end of this board is journaled in a suitable bearing in the rakestand, so that it is thus supported across the Y .platform and presses the grain down as the rake sweeps it under it. Vhen grain is fully ripe the stalk will crook over just below the head, so as to make the head hang down or stand at nearly right angles to the stalk, and as the sap is out of the stalk at that time when the grain falls upon the platform there is not weight enough in it to keep the top of the sheaf from being so bushy as to become caught in the binding mechanism if it were not pressed together by tliis'board. The same would be the case with down or tangledgrain. A shield, 151, at the post 149 and a flange or wing, 152, upon the end of the board prevent the heads of the grain from becoming entangled or caught upon the post, as they will bear against the wing 152 and be carried along with it as the board is swung upon its pivots until they are beyond the post and pass out from under the board. An arm, 153, secured to the outer end of the board, strikes against a pin,

two rollers, 155 and 156, the lower one of which is grooved or provided with a pulley, 157, at one end. Running over these rollers is an endless belt or apron, 158, which keeps' lodged ,or tangled grain from catching and.

gathering at that point. The rollers and belt are operated by meansof a drive chain or rope, 159, whichA passes over friction-pulleys at the end of the platform and along just behind the cutter-bar to a point nearly in the rear ofthe drive-wheel and over friction-pulleys at this point to a larger pulley, 160, secured to the shaft of the drive-wheel.

When enough grain has fallen upon theplatform of the reapler to make the desired sized sheaf, the rake is put in' operation by the driver, which sweeps the grain around onto the binder-platform. As the rake comes around with its load it presses back the top of the trip-lever, and through its connections moves the main driving-shaft longitudinally in its bearings and sets the binding mechanism in motion.

As soon as the gavel is deposited by the rake the carrier takes it back to the compressorarms, where it is bound into a sheaf by the knetter., The carrier is returned to its position at the front of the platform, and the sheaf is thrown into the bundle-carrierby the ejectorarms, and the cord placed in position for the next sheaf by the cord-layer. Then the carrier arrives at the front partof the platform the tripper pushes the retaining-spring out of the groove around the main shaft, which permits it to be moved longitudinally in its bearings by the coiled spring around it, thus disengaging it from the binding mechanism and stopping the same. Vhen another sheaf is to be bound the same operation, above described, is repeated.

Having thus described my inventiou,I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- Y 1. The combination of a binder -platform having a series of slots across it and an operating-shaft journaled in bearings across the front portion, an upright lever secured near each endof said shaft, the middle portion of one ot' them engaging with a collar` upon it, a rod connecting said levers, a spring upon said rod,a collar aroundsaidshaft,having an adjustingarm and secured to one of the bearings, a spring around said shaft between said collars, an annular groove around said shaft, a spring engaging therewith,'a carrier sliding in said slots, having a tripper secured thereto operating'to throw said spring out of engagement with said shaft, mechanism for-operating said carrier, a clutch upon said shaft engaging with said mechanism, a rake, and abinder, as show n and described.

Y 2. The combination of a binder-platform provided with slots, an operating-shaft, and a carrier sliding in said slots, said carrier consisting of two guide-pieces, cross-pieces connecting said guide-pieces above and below the platform, two upright bearing-plates and two I upwardly-inclined arms secured thereto, two

packers having guide-rods slidingin bearings in said arms, a spring upon each guide-rod, a bracket secured to the top of each arm, a lever pivoted to each of said brackets, and a link connecting each lever with one of the packers, a stationary cross-.piece engaging with the tops of said levers, mechanism for operating said carrier, and a clutch upon said operatingshaft engaging with said mechanism, as shown and described.

3. The combination of la binder-platform provided with slots, an operating-shaft, and a carrier, two shafts journaled across the rear of said platform, one of which has a cogged segment rigidly secured upon one endand two curved arms at its intermediate portion, and the other shaft has a cogged segment loosely secured upon its end and an arm at its intermediate portion, said second segment being provided with two arms, each having a pin-at its end, acollar rigidly secured upon the end of said second shaft, provided with an arm, two hooked rods and a coiled spring connecting said arm and one of the arms of said segment, a knotter-shaft journaled in brackets and having an irregular-shaped cani secured upon its end engaging with said pins on thesegments, and a chain for operating said knotter shaft, as shown and described.

4. Thecombination of abiiider-platform provided with slots, an operating-shaft, and a carrier, two shafts journaled across the rear of said platform, one of which has two curved arms secured thereto, an arm secured to the other shaft, an auxiliary compressor lsliding vertically between said shafts, a lever pivoted to the under side of said platform, engaging with said auxiliary compressor, a leverpivoted to a bracket having a lug upon its intermediate portion, a rod connecting said levers,.and a cani upon the knotter-sliaft engaging with said lug, as shownand described.

5. The combination ofa binder-platform provided with slots, an operating-shaft, and a carrier, a shaft journaled across the rear end of said platform, two shouldered collars secured upon said shaft, an arm loosely journaled between said collars and provided with lugs, a spring-actuated lever pivoted to said platform with one end projecting across one of said'slots, and a needle or binder arm, a rod connecting said lever and said arm, Aas shown and described.

6. The combination of abinderplatform provided with a carrier, a bench-shaped support at the front end, and a beam secured upon brackets at the rear end, two parallel beams and a slotted plate connecting said support and beam, a bell-crank lever secured upon the beam having a curvedarm secured to one of its arms, the end of said' curved arm being forked, an A-1ever secured to one of said parallel beams, a pin upon the end of one of said beams, a spring secured to said pin and to one pinion secured upon said shaft, an eccentricrod having its rear end bifureated and arackbar secured to its front en d, said rack-bar being movably secured to said rod and provided with a spring,and a cani upon the k notter-shaft scribed. c

8. The combination of a binder-platform prooperating said eccentric-rod, as shown and den vided with slots,'an operating-shaft, and a carrier, a lever pivotally secured at the'forward portion of said platform and engaging with said shaft, and a hooked spring on lsaid carrier engaging with said lever, as shown and described.

9. The combination ofa biiider-platform provided with a carrier and an operating-shaft and having two brackets secured at its rear end, a beam connecting said brackets, a slotted plate secured to said beam, two parallel beams secured to said plate at one end and to a support at the other, a spring-actuated bolt having a beveled end secured in bearings at one side of said plate and projecting across said slot, a lever secured to said bolt, a. cani upon the knotter -shaft engaging with said lever, and a shaft jouriialed across the rear of said platform, having a curved arm secured theretoengaging with said bolt, as shown and described.

10. The combination of a harvester-platform, a rim around part of the same, a post secured thereto having a bearing at its top, a pin near the middle of said post and asliield nearits top,

a swinging presser-board secured in said bearing in sai'd post and in a bearing in the rakestand, a shield secured to tlie end of the board, and a downwardly-projecting arm secured to the outer end of said board and a rake, as shown and described.

11.` The combinatton of a binder-platform provided with a carrier having vertical bearing-plates, two shafts journaled across said platform, one of which is provided with two,

curved arms nearits middle portion, thelower part of each arm being provided with a rounded projection, and a knotter, as shownv and described.

'In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MILLER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WALLACE, HORACE T. CooK.

ICO

IIO' 

